


The First Roll of Thunder That Brings The Storm

by animehime20



Category: The Avengers (2012)
Genre: AU - Loki is an Avenger, F/F, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-05-29
Updated: 2012-05-30
Packaged: 2017-11-06 05:43:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/415395
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/animehime20/pseuds/animehime20
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Something goes terribly wrong during a block party. Now Thor’s an out-of-control god heading to the roots of Yggdrasil, and its up to the Avengers to find out what’s going on and stop him.</p><p>A/N: Takes place long after the Avengers, because Loki is an Avenger in this one.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Eternal God of Thunder

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, and welcome to yet another fan fiction I have written. I want to thank all of you who read "Hand of Surtur" and continued with me to the end; it sha;; be finished this evening. It couldn't have been done without all of your support.
> 
> Now, I am hoping that you will all enjoy this story just as much. I had a lot of fun with it, and I hope you will too.
> 
> This is an Avengers/Thor fic, takes place a while after the Avengers, and as a bonus, our dear little Loki has been selected to be an Avenger as well, so he is part of the team and aids them in saving the world. We'll see just how wonderful that is, and I hope all of my dear readers enjoy this!
> 
> Thank you all!

The start of the New Year passed over the United States passed in much the same way every other day that year had: quietly.

For so long the deserts remained unchanged, except for a thin ribbon of train tracks laid during the Industrial Revolution, building networks between the towns as they moved west. Neither the sage bushes nor the desert seemed to mind the railroad, though the rattle of passing trains sometimes sent lizards and rodents scurrying for cover.

Which is exactly what happened when the train came roaring down the tracks. It was fast—the rails had barely started to shake when the iron beast was upon them, and just as quickly it was gone.

The train was short, consisting only of an engine and a single passenger car, all moving and working at breakneck speed by a team of elite conductors working for S.H.I.E.L.D.

The roof of the passenger car had been converted to a makeshift balcony and was in use by two of the mighty Avengers—Captain America and Dr. Bruce Banner. The infamous doctor of gamma radiation was leaning on a railing at the front of the car, his forearms draped over the edge as he eyed the horizon. The super-soldier stood with his eyes shading the light of the setting sun. His attention was focused on the sky, lightening to a soft pink and darkening to a brilliant orange as the sun set beneath a pair of tall mountains.

"We're coming to a corner, Cap!" Bruce Banner called over his shoulder. "We should be able to see him in a second!"

Ahead of them the tracks bent around a massive hill that had once been a vast mountain, until time and wind reduced it to its current state.

Steve Rogers nodded once. The strain of the day's events were clear on his face—circled, tired eyes and a frazzled expression above tight lips. He drummed his fingers lightly on the railing, careful not to dent it.

The train took the turn without slowing down. The car rocked and began leaning dangerously, but before it could roll off the tracks they rounded the curve and were back on a straightaway. Ahead of them the sun had almost set—only a tiny piece of the orb remained above the mountains. The world around them darkened as twilight took hold.

But then the train passed all the way around the hill, and sunlight found them again.

To the south, far away and high above the desert floor, something like a shooting star traced its way across the sky, paralleling the tracks as it headed west. It was nearly as bright as the setting sun, its flickering light illuminating the landscape below like noon. Thunder and lightning bolted around it in a massive cloud of blackness, scraping the sky like a handful of talons. The smell of rain lingered in the air.

Even from the train it was impossible not to feel the affects of the storm. Steve glanced up and shivered at the crack of thunder.

"Okay, that was loud," Bruce said. "Hear anything from Natasha or Clint yet?"

"No," Steve answered glumly. "S.H.I.E.L.D. really has no idea where to begin. Loki's already gone ahead, so we can't contact him, and the others have no idea what we're going up against. Even if we did learn something important, Loki's not here to tell us that it's important! And it's not like we can call Asgard and tell them what's happening."

He rested his forehead on the moving railing. Over the roar of the train he could still make out the echoing rumble of thunder.

Bruce exhaled. "We're coming to a town. We're going to have to slow down."

Steve's head came up with a jerk. "But we just barely caught up to him! If we slow down, he'll get away!"

"I know, Cap, but we can't endanger—" He stopped suddenly, his eyes on the sky head.

Captain America followed his glance and gasped. The storm was still raging, but there was a new color of lightning. Ice white. Powerful. It raged within the storm, cutting through it like a blade set up against a pad of melting butter. The flickering light in the center halted and whirled in a semi-circle.

The rumble of the new thunder burst through the ground, rattling the train worse than it had been before.

"What's going on?" Bruce murmured.

Steve looked at the whirling light, watched as it struggled feebly against the ice-white lightning that dueled with his own. "I think...I think Odin's trying to intervene."

To the west, the last silver of the sun dipped below the mountains, and the scene appeared just as clearly as it had before. Steve struggled to look directly at the bolts of lightning as the danced around the speckle of orange light.

"What?" Bruce demanded. "Odin?"

"So much for making a call to Asgard." Steve narrowed his eyes to get a better look at the scene as it unfurled before him.

It was like staring at the sun. As his eyes slowly adjusted to the brightness, he could barely make out a pair of arms flailing as they passed in front of the god's body. The air around him seemed like an inferno, a halo of flames. The white lightning licked at his massive figure, and he swatted at it like a gnat.

"Oh, no," Steve mumbled. "No, no, no, no, no!"

Bruce turned to him with a look of confused concern. "Cap? What is it?"

"Odin's not trying to stop him." Steve was terrified by how shallow and weak his voice sounded, so pathetic for a super-soldier. "Odin's trying to—"

A massive streak of white lightning ripped through the sky, striking the god in mid-air. The figure jolted in the shadows of the thunderclouds, illuminated by the lightning bolt. He tumbled through the air as the black cloud dissipated above, powers useless, completely out of control. He spiraled toward the ground like a bullet.

"THOR!" Steve bellowed.

The falling god streaked past a low mountain and slammed into a the ground. From the train it looked like the world's largest firework; a shower of brilliant sparks rose into the air, soaring high above the mountain itself, followed by a fountain of lava that sprayed upward and out like a severed artery. The ground collapsed a moment later into a deep circle, shattering with a loud _BOOM!_

Steve covered his ears against the sound. He watched numbly as a rockslide large enough to devour Times Square slid down the mountain, accompanied by a river of lava that formed a small, burning lake at its bottom.

Bruce managed to look calm, but couldn't keep from shaking so hard his teeth chattered. From overhead came the whistle of rocks zooming by, followed by faint thuds as they landed. Some of the falling stones were nearly the size of a school bus, Steve noted absently.

Neither of them moved. The train, too, had stopped. As the sun sank further below the horizon the world grew darker, illuminated only by the flickering orange of the burning mountain. Even as night took hold they could still see clearly by the flames.

Finally Steve stepped forward. Without a word he hopped down the trap door into the car, and then jumped out the back door onto the tracks. Before Bruce could snap himself out of it, Steve was already racing toward the crash site.

"Hey...Hey! Wait for me!" Bruce hopped off the car and took off after his teammate.

 

>b>~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

 

"Slow down, Cap! You don't know what you're running into!"

"I'm fine!" Steve yelled over his shoulder. He'd stumbled a few meters back, and his ankle was throbbing. But he was a super-soldier, and he healed quickly. Already he could feel the ache dissipating to a low thrum. The glow from the crash site became the only thing telling him he was going in the right direction.

"Just take it easy," Bruce said gently, trying to reassure him. "It doesn't matter how fast we get to him."

"He needs help!"

Steve went to run again, but Bruce caught his wrist. "You won't be much help to him if you fall and hurt yourself. He survived the fall. He'll survive the few extra minutes it takes us to get to him. We have to wait for S.H.I.E.L.D. to send help, anyway."

He was right, as usual. Steve lowered his head, breathing in through his nose to keep himself from shouting.

"He's fine," Bruce said. He placed a hand on Steve's shoulder. "Loki said he's much stronger now than he was before. Thor could survive falls like that without any injuries what-so-ever. The ground is probably in worse condition than he is."

Steve couldn't help but chuckle quietly. Together they turned to the crash site and walked the rest of the way.

 

**~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~**

 

Thor was waiting in a pool of glowing magma perhaps twenty feet across. By approaching from the higher ground on the side of the mountain, Steve and Bruce could get within at least half the length of a school bus from the edge of the pit before their feet began to smoke and their shoes started to burn.

Bruce retreated with a startled yelp, and grabbed Steve's shoulder to stop him when he kept on rushing forward.

"We'll have to wait," he said. "I know you're a super-soldier and all, but even you can't walk right into a pool of molten lava."

"He needs us now!" Steve pointed at Thor. "Look at him!"

Bruce exhaled, exhausted. "Cap, if he can survive landing in a puddle of lava, he can survive anything. We have to wait for S.H.I.E.L.D. before we attempt anything."

The rock around their teammate simmered as they watched. Occasionally a large bubble would burst with enough force to spray flecks of lava over his arms and his head, the only parts of his body not submerged in bright red liquid stone. The drops ran like water down his flesh, leaving no mark to signify their passage.

Steve cupped his hands around his mouth. "Thor!" he called. "It's Cap! Can you hear me?"

Near the edge of the lava, a boulder cracked with a deafening snap, half of it slipping into the pool while the rest tumbled down the hillside, starting small brush fires as it rolled.

"Cap," Bruce said suddenly, "it's not a good idea to—"

"Thor!"

Bruce grasped him roughly by the shoulders and dragged him back from the pool of lava. "Cap, that's enough. He can't hear you. He's either asleep or—"

"Or what?!" Steve demanded. "He's either asleep or _what_ , Banner?!"

"Unconscious," Bruce finished calmly. He kept his expression blank. "Either way, yelling at him isn't going to accomplish anything."

Captain America glared at him for a moment, then seemed to wilt. He flopped down on the ground like a child, on his knees in front of the magma pit, and shuddered. "I'm sorry, Banner," he said. "I don't know what else to do. Nothing like this has ever happened before. I don't know a thing about Asgardians, so I don't know what I can do to help him."

Bruce patted his shoulder reassuringly. "It's all right. We'll figure something out."

Steve continued to look at the ground for a while, contemplating. Then he lifted his head up with a determined shake. "What town are we near?"

"Auburn." Bruce cocked his head to the side. "Why?"

"We need some help. Can you head there with the train and tell them what happened? Get them to come help us out while S.H.I.E.L.D. tries to figure out what to do? Maybe we can pull him out of there."

"I can do that." Bruce looked at him. "What do we need?"

Steve thought about it for a moment. "I'm not sure. Whatever they can think of. A crane, maybe? I have no clue."

"All right," Bruce said with a small laugh. "Whatever they can think of, coming right up. You going to stay here?"

Steve nodded, his gaze fixed on his downed teammate. "Maybe you should call Clint."

"Maybe I should. Tell him what's going on." Bruce started to turn, then came back and put his arm around Steve in a half-hug. "Hey, it's going to be fine. Clint and Natasha are figuring out what we can do, and Tony's searching for the Norns like Loki asked. Loki'll probably show up shortly. Until then, try to relax."

"Thanks, Banner," Steve said. "I'll try."

"That's all you can do, I suppose. Try." He closed his eyes and inhaled deep. "I'll be right back. Try to remain calm. That's always helped me."

After Bruce left, Steve tried, but it was very difficult. He closed his eyes and tried to think of a time in his life when something hadn't gone wrong. When he became an Avenger, he'd hoped it was the end of his troubles. His teammates, all six of them, were so supportive of him, so accepting, that he'd forgotten that bad things could happen.

But they had. Now Natasha and Clint were scurrying for answers, Tony was pursuing three girls in the desert he'd never heard of, Loki was a hysterical wreck, Bruce was heading off to get help from a town Steve had never been to, and Thor was an out-of-control god laying unconscious in a pool of magma at his feet. And Steve had absolutely no idea what this had all happened. Where did it all go wrong?


	2. Beginning With a Party

_One Day Earlier_...

 

New Years Eve was certainly different than Steve Rogers remembered it. When the second world war was occurring, he hadn't thought much of the beginning of the New Year. The war absorbed so much, it had never really crossed his mind. But 2012 was much farther away than the time he'd known, and celebrating the beginning of another year was almost as important as remembering the war.

The transition from 2012 into 2013 was especially important. His team was asked to attend as the Avengers. Thor himself had been granted the honor of controlling the Times Square Ball when it dropped, as this was his first New Year's celebration.

Not that Steve had an issue with this. He enjoyed his Captain America uniform.

Agent Phil Coulson had put so much into it; Steve felt like the S.H.I.E.L.D. member, the only one who'd believed in them when they hadn't even believed in themselves, was right beside him.

And yet, standing next to Tony Stark—the infamous Iron Man, also known as Steve Roger's "better half" by his own conviction—was taking all the fun out of his evening.

"Is it really necessary for us to show up _three hours_ before the damn Ball drops?" His voice was amplified and altered by the helmet covering his face. "You know how uncomfortable this thing can get."

Steve bit back the reply he wanted to give. After all, he loved Tony, and getting snippy wasn't going to end well when this was all over.

Instead, he responded, "Yes, Iron Man, it's completely necessary for us to be here early. People want to see us. Pictures taken and all that. Who are we to deny them their chance?"

"The fucking Avengers, that's who we are."

Steve rolled his eyes, suddenly wishing his own costume covered his face a little better. Making faces wasn't very dignified, and he was supposed to be a role model.

"You lied to me!" Tony sudden accused, whirling on Steve. "You said there was going to be beer here! You got me up early for this, dammit!"

"Seven at night is not early by any means, Stark," Bruce Banner quipped. He leaned against one of the tall buildings in Times Square, away from the bustling crowd. He wore a faded purple shirt, a thick leather jacket, and a pair of designer jeans that Clint had picked out for him during one of their shopping sprees the week before Christmas.

Steve couldn't help but be jealous. Out of all of them, Bruce was the only one not required to wear a uniform. Namely because his "uniform" was infamous for being unruly and breaking anything within a six mile radius.

"It is when you're me," Tony snapped. "Where's Barton? Weren't you and he going to go and make out somewhere? I hear the McDonalds down the street has some killer places."

Bruce ignored the jibe and shrugged. "He and Natasha are talking to reporters." He gestured to his boyfriend, standing on the sidewalk in his winter S.H.I.E.L.D. uniform with the Black Widow to his left.

"I don't envy them," Steve laughed. Seventy years later, and he still didn't enjoy talking to people he hadn't met before.

"Tony," Bruce suggested, "I think there's a bar close by. Why don't you have JARVIS locate one for you and you can get—"

He didn't finish the sentence. The moment the word "bar" left his lips, Tony snapped his hands down and instantly lifted into the air, speeding off like an arrow with a loud thunderclap. Soon, he was a gleaming red speck starting a wide turn at the edges of their vision, streaking down to the end of the street.

"If I didn't know any better," Bruce said with an impressed snort, "I'd think he had an obsession."

"Say, Banner, have you seen Thor around?"

The doctor tossed his head in the direction of the Avenger's Mansion. "Where else? Loki said he wanted to take a shower before he came down here and mingled with the 'filthy mortals', so Thor waited for him."

"I see." Steve still hadn't really gotten use to the fact that Loki was an Avenger now. It seemed that only a week ago they were battling him for the safety of the planet.

"You know, he's not so bad," Bruce said. "Loki."

"I know he's not." He shivered as a relatively cool gust of wind ruffled over him. "It's just—weird, you know? Having him go from being our number one enemy to one of our allies. Clint had a hard time accepting it, didn't he?"

Bruce's eyes flashed green for a moment. "Can you really blame him?"

"No, I suppose not."

The doctor closed his eyes and inhaled deep; when he opened his eyes again, they were brown and calm. "But that's in the past. Loki has been one of our best allies for months, and he hasn't given us reason to doubt him. I'll be the first to admit I was a little wary at first—but I think he's changed."

"You think so?"

Bruce nodded. "I do."

"Why do you think he suddenly decided to stop? Being evil, I mean?"

"I'll give you one guess." Bruce's lips twitched sideways into a little smile, the one he saved for the group. The only time Steve had ever seen the doctor smile—truly smile—was when Clint was around.

Steve couldn't help but grin. He knew why. All of them knew. It was so obvious it felt stupid to say out loud.

"Hey." Bruce nudged his shoulder. "We better get out there. The crowd's expecting us. Thor and Loki will show up on their own time, trust me."

"You think so?"

"Yeah. They probably stopped to get a drink."

"Are they even old enough to drink?" It was Tony. He blasted over and landed in front of them, the force of his landing cracking the cement at his feet. "Thor, probably. But Loki looks a little on the young side. Is he even twenty-one?"

Bruce made a scornful noise in the back of his throat. "He was drinking when you were just a little tadpole swimming in your father's loins."

"Hey," Steve said. "I knew his father. That's kind of an awkward thing to think about."

Bruce laughed. Tony turned his head in the doctor's direction, and Steve imagined he had one of his trademark scowls plastered on his face, if he wasn't already plastered himself.

 

**~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~**

 

Loki stood on the balcony of the Avenger's Mansion overlooking the city of New York. He had told his brother that he would be taking a shower, and the oaf had finally granted a few moments of peace.

It had been a relatively quick soak—Loki was just as eager to join the celebrations as his brother, though he would never say so.

Being an Avenger was different. Becoming enemies with those he'd once deemed allies was also very strange. Victor von Doom was an enemy now, and demanded Loki's head on a platter. So many others desired his blood on their hands.

Yet Loki did not regret becoming an Avenger. Quite the opposite. He adored it. He enjoyed the feeling of being forgiven by his brother, by those he has wronged—or most of them.

As he stood on the balcony in a pair of pajama pants, given to him by Bruce Banner, and a large shirt courtesy of Thor, he felt the air behind him ripple. The familiar scent of magic, the ozone as it shattered. Then he felt a presence he hadn't felt in ages. It brought a smile to his lips, despite the rather unfortunate occurrence that led to such a long separation.

"So," said the familiar voice, like the tinkling of a bell, "this is where you've been."

"You have seen the news, no doubt." Loki didn't turn from the balcony. "Come, stand and look at the city with me." He gestured to the vacant spot at his side.

"Yes, I have seen the news." The light footsteps tripped closer, graceful and light as air. "So, you are an Avenger now? This isn't a ruse to get close to them?"

Loki shook his head. "No. Those days are beyond me. I believe there's a mortal expression. Now, what was it? Oh, yes. I remember. 'If you cannot beat them, join them.' Never did I think such an expression could be so accurate."

"Well, you seem happy now."

" _Now?_ I was happy before."

"No, I mean...truly happy. I don't think I've ever seen you smile like this. Not even in Asgard. You look good when you're smiling...when you're happy." There was a pause, and then the voice was right at his side. "This suits you much better."

Loki looked over. The familiar woman stood at his side, a head shorter than he. He knew her all too well. They'd been friends in Asgard during their youth, before she left and abandoned her title and position as a minor goddess in order to study under the Norns. They'd had a brief partnership on Midgard that ended when the Avengers ruined their plan of conquest and scattered them.

It truly had been too long. She looked so different now. Her hair was longer, fuller, redder. Drawn in a loose braid that fell down her back, she wore a dark blue dress that clung to her developed figure like a second skin, ending where the curve of her thigh began. Her eyes, matching the exact color of the dress, stood out beneath long lashes. Despite not longer being of Asgard, the immortal beauty mortals seemed to lack still clung to her.

"It's good to see you, Lorelei," Loki said.

The sorceress smiled. She rested her hand a top histheir skin colors were almost identical in the light of the city. "It's good to see you, too, Loki," she said. "It's been far too long."

"How's your sister doing?"

"You don't see me for nearly a year," Lorelei said, "and you ask about my _sister?_ " She gave him a playful shove. "Now, that's just rude."

Loki pretended to be afflicted by a grievous wound, clutching his hand to his shoulder. "Assaulting a member of the royal blood!" He gave a mock cry of outrage. "A year's duty in the kitchens! I'll have Odin banish you for such actions against an heir to the throne!"

"That's all you've got?" She snorted. "Odin's punishments aren't do bad. What would I have to do to get five years in the kitchen?"

Loki tapped his chin with a long, delicate finger. "Contemplating hard crime again, are we? Well, not that I would know, of course, but five years sounds like a suitable punishment for despoiling a member of the royal court's virtue. Of course..." He managed a sly smile. "You already know that my brother has beaten you to it."

Lorelei puzzled over that for a moment, then spluttered. Her face went bright red. Loki laughed as loudly as he dared.

"That's just cruel," Lorelei said when his laughter had died down. "You have ruined the hopes and dreams of half the women in Asgard with that comment."

"They shall survive," Loki said.

Lorelei chuckled, then looked out at the city. "Amora is well. Though she and I didn't exactly leave off on...good terms."

They didn't say anything to one another for a few minutes. Instead, they looked out as the party in the arena known as Times Square expanded slowly. Loki watched the lights with wide eyes, like a child.

"You know," Lorelei offered, "the last time you looked so happy...was on Asgard."

"Oh?"

"Yes." She closed her eyes and inhaled, remembering. "You were an adolescent. Remember? My sister had just taught you water spells. You went down to Lake Agni and created that snake that splashed Thor in the face, remember? Everyone thought it was so funny?"

Loki laughed quietly. "Yes. And Thor tackled me. I remember. I still have the scar."

It was a joke. Lorelei knew better than anyone that Loki was capable of healing almost any wound he received.

Loki looked up at the night sky, so void of stars in this Midgardian town. "The problem with being an Avenger," he said, "is knowing that they still don't trust me fully. I cannot say that I blame them, but it still hurts. Some of them like me more than others. Anthony Stark doesn't trust me. Bruce Banner trusts me. Clint Barton does not trust me, and Natasha Romanov isn't sure what to think of me yet. I know Thor forgives me, and I know Captain Rogers is pleased that I am no longer a threat—but it still hurts, knowing they do not fully trust me."

Lorelei frowned at the sadness in his tone. "That doesn't seem fair. They trust Thor, and he's from the same place you are."

"But he has not attacked them," he replied. "He has proven again and again that he is their ally. As have I, but I still have much to atone for. Who of us knows how long that shall take. Perhaps a few months."

"I am sorry," she offered, the only words she seemed to deem appropriate.

Loki shrugged, his gaze shifting back to the city. "Do not be. It is a small price to pay for being with my brother again...the way it used to be...and more."

Around them the gentle glow of the city slowly faded, becoming livelier. Music wafted from down the street. Loki inhaled deeply, his green eyes wide and shining as the encroaching power of the night engulfed him. The music announced the approach of the new year.

"Silver for your thoughts?" Lorelei asked.

It was another joke, from when they were youths in Asgard. Loki snorted. "I was merely thinking of the celebration, and the best way to keep Thor from breaking the place. You know how excited he is by Midgardian customs." He was silent for another moment, then he managed, "Thor wishes to meet with me after the start of the New Year. He has asked me to be there with him."

Lorelei blinked. "He asked you to be there to start the New Year. That seems—" She rolled her eyes as she thought of the word. "Sort of romantic."

Loki walked a few paced around the balcony, coming to rest at the other end. "Long ago, when we were children and had no idea of a parentage, it would have been seen as an atrocity. But Odin has...displayed his pleasure at our union, and who are we to deny the All-Father?"

She joined him at the railing. Although as tall or as broad as his brother, Loki was still one of the taller Asgardians. He towered above most mortals, to the point where only his brother, his father, Volstagg, and a few of the guards in Asgard looked down on him when he spoke to them. Beyond that, many had to crane their necks to see Loki's face.

"I think Thor desires for me to feel welcomed," Loki continued. "He wants me to feel that I am part of the team."

They were silent for a while longer. In the Mansion, there was a loud noise from down below; it was followed by a commotion as the program known as JARVIS began shrieking and giving off commands.

"I think you'd better intervene," Lorelei said, listening to the bustle of the noise below. "The Man of Iron that owns this homestead will not be pleased if he finds it dismantled."

"Indeed. Would you like to accompany me?"

"Your brother will not be offended, will he? That you are speaking to beautiful women on your balcony late at night? On Midgard, that can often be a sign of seduction, Prince Loki. You'd do well to mind yourself."

Loki gave the sorceress a light shove, careful not to toss her off the balcony, then turned and went into the Mansion. Lorelei followed at a generally slower speed, allowing another smile to pass over her lips.

It had been far too long since she and Loki had engaged in a deep conversation. It felt good to get a chance to speak with him.

 

**~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~**

 

Loki was in the middle of a deep conversation with Thor when Lorelei found him. The princes of Asgard looked so different standing in front of one another, she realized. Thor was so golden and filled with light, and Loki was so pale and dark. It brought her back to the years when they were all youths.

"—and after midnight, Anthony says we are supposed to kiss someone!" she caught Thor saying to Loki.

Lorelei had known about Thor was there—she had heard his destruction from her spot up in Loki's bedchambers—but even so, she couldn't help but pause. She peeked around the corner and watched the royal conversation.

Loki would have none of it. The instant he spied the sorceress, he raised his finger and beckoned her over. As if drawn by an invisible chain, Lorelei stepped into the room.

"Thor, you remember Lorelei, do you not?" Loki asked. "We grew up together in Asgard. She is Amora's younger sister. She trained with me in Seid Tower. And we...well...we were partners when I was...negative."

Lorelei managed a shaky smile. She generally wasn't nervous, but one simply doesn't stand in the presence of Thor, god of thunder, and not be the least bit intimidated.

Thor was a tall Asgardian, towering high above any other Lorelei had ever seen. It had been this way since he was an adolescent, learning how to use a sword. His hair was long, the color of the sun, and his eyes made the seas of Midgard look pale in comparison. Lorelei would be the first to admit that she had the tiniest hint of a crush on him when they were younger; and Thor's ascent into adulthood had only succeeded in heightening his features. Though it was strange to see him in Midgardian clothing instead of his armor. Thor somehow managed to seem intimidating and all-powerful in a pair of jeans and a ripped shirt.

"Aye, I could hardly forget," Thor said. He was smiling wide, teeth whiter than snow. "Though last time we met, I believe she struck me with a piece of cement."

"That is, ah, I mean I...forgive me, my Lord." Lorelei had hoped he would forget their little encounter, but what else could she expect? The last time she and Thor had met at all, Loki still called himself a villain and had enlisted Lorelei to aid him in destroying the Avengers. It had taken them weeks to repair the damage.

"I am pleased you have reformed as well, Lorelei," Thor said, giving Loki a brief glance.

Loki flashed his teeth in what Lorelei imagined what meant to be a seductive smile. She felt her own face heat up.

"Yes, well..." She lowered her head. "Thank you."

Thor laughed loudly, the noise echoing through Lorelei's thin frame. "I trust we shall see you at the party of the New Year? The Man of Iron says it is important to attend because they mayor wants the Avengers to show up." He turned to Loki. "Come along, brother. Captain Rogers will not be very pleased if we are not present."

"Indeed not." Loki chuckled. "Let's wait an hour."

"Such a wicked creature," Thor commented playfully, then he and Loki turned and walked away from Lorelei with brief parting nods, leaving her standing in the center of the Mansion to try and digest what had just occurred.

 

**~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~**

 

"How long are they going to drag this out?" Clint moved away from the reporter and left Natasha to handle it. "It's already been three hours."

"Try thirty minutes," Bruce answered. He had come over from his conversation with Tony and Steve, both of whom had vanished into the crowd. The doctor stared at his boyfriend with a lightly amused grin.

Clint groaned loudly, tossing his head back. "This cannot be happening. Why me, God? I'm a good person."

Bruce bit back a laugh. "Clint—"

"Okay, so maybe I stole a few of those cookies Pepper was making last week. Only a few! And so what if I hid Thor's shampoo? I was going to return it. It was just a little prank!"

"Clint, calm down..."

"And can you really blame me for allowing myself to be seduced by this wonderful angel you sent down to Earth for me? Really, God, now you just aren't playing fair!"

"Clint!" Bruce glanced around to see if anyone were listening, but everyone was so enthralled in their own conversation that they barely noticed. "Look, uh...maybe we should go and check on Natasha. Those reporters can get brutal."

Clint shrugged his shoulders lightly, regaining himself. "Natasha is a big girl, Bruce. I'm sure she'll be fine. Now, come on. We should probably try to find Thor." He paused for a beat, then muttered, "And Loki."

"Behave," Bruce managed under his breath.

They didn't find Thor, but they did manage to locate Loki. In front of the large stage that would be the center of attention around midnight, trying to greet anyone who passed by him. Some of them stopped and said hello, others lowered their heads and tried to pretend he wasn't there. An older woman carrying a child turned away from him with a disgusted snort, but the child waved his hand and said, "Hello, Mr. Loki! I'm happy you not tryin' to break New York no more!"

"Now, that's just rude," Bruce said. "They could at least _pretend_ to be nice."

"Can you honestly blame them? After all he's done?" Clint shuddered at the memory of the god of mischief, probing around inside his head. "He's lucky no one's thrown anything at him."

Bruce pointed to a faded area of red on the hem of Loki's green and gold jacket; it looked like he had scrubbed vigorously to remove it from his armor. "Seems to me like someone has."

Clint looked at the faded spot, and seemed to deflate. "Wow..."

"Look," Bruce said, and he turned to look Clint right in the eye, "I get that he did some really bad stuff in the past, all right? But how is that any different than what I did? I hurt hundreds of people, lost control of myself. I was a monster."

"Bruce—" Clint started, but he held up his hand and stopped him.

"Yet you all trusted me and made me an Avenger," he continued. "And since then, I have proven time and time again that it was the right choice. Loki did bad stuff, too. But he's been with us for a few months, and in that time, he's saved more lives than I can recall any of us saving. He even saved our lives a handful of times. If anything, he's more than redeemed himself. So, the least you can try to do tonight—tonight at the _very least_ —is try to be civil. Please?"

At this point, Loki glanced over in their direction and spotted them. He excused himself from a very small group of people who were talking to him—a boy about ten years old, and a girl who stared at him in awe—and hurried over to meet them.

"Good evening, Dr. Banner, Agent Barton," he said.

"Loki, we've been over this thousands of times," Bruce said with an exhausted laugh. "You guys can call us by our first names."

"Are those not your first names?"

"No. My name is Bruce Banner, and this is Clint Barton." Bruce gestured to both of them as he said their names for what felt like the hundredth time.

"Very well, then." Loki bobbed his head once in a manner resembling a bird. "Good evening, Dr. Bruce Banner and Agent Clint Barton."

Clint threw his hands up. "Fuck it."

"Close enough," Bruce shrugged. He looked at Loki. He seemed much larger in his armor, lethal and dangerous. It really was no surprise people were surprised to see him. Even without his devil-horn helmet, he looked rather intimidating with his pale skin and onyx-black hair.

It was an unsettling thought to think about Loki being their enemy at one point, so Bruce pushed it out of his mind.

"Where'd Thor run off to?" he asked instead. "I thought you two were coming together."

"He saw Anthony Stark flying off in search of a drink, and how could he not follow? You know how he is about mortal drinks." Loki shook his head with a bemused smirk. "He is especially partial to that shop down the street—what was it called? Star books?"

"Starbucks," Clint corrected.

"That." Loki paused, glancing between the two of them. "Where are the others? Captain Rogers and Natasha Romanov? They are here, are they not?"

"Natasha is over there talking to some reporters," Clint said, waving his hand in the direction that his partner stood. "And Cap's probably trying to find your brother and his little iron princess."

Loki blinked and smiled politely, showing that he did not understand the joke, if there was any to be found. "That's fine," he replied. "I suppose we shall all meet up as soon as possible. Thor said we all need to be at the stage before the start of the New Year."

"Yup," Clint said briefly.

Half a moment passed, and Loki swept both of them into a tight hug, sudden and powerful. Clint held his breath as it was nearly squeezed out of him, and Bruce grit his teeth. This hadn't been expected. Loki wasn't Thor—their golden-haired Asgardian teammate was physically stronger than Loki—but he was still much stronger than any mortal creature.

"I am pleased you both came to see me this evening," Loki said. "That probably means nothing to you, after all I have done. But truly, I am pleased to see you both here."

To Bruce's surprise, it was Clint who returned the hug with one arm. "Don't mention it," he said in a strained voice.

Loki finally released them and, bidding them farewell, went off to try and talk to Natasha and the reporter. Bruce and Clint shared a brief gaze, and it was only then that they both realized they were smiling like idiots. Taking each other by the hand, they hurried into the crowd to find a place to be alone.

 

**~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~**

 

Lorelei wandered through the city with practiced ease, submersing herself in the growing crowd of mortals. No one recognized her, for she went in disguise—glamouring her luscious orange hair to be cropped and short, her lovely eyes to be a dull brown rather than luminous sky-blue. Even her clothes were simple; she managed to shimmy herself into a tight blue miniskirt and a black top with a furry black jacket. Even if the mortals had noticed her, she wasn't a villain any longer.

A band was set up near the head of the group, providing some light music to keep the crowd entertained until midnight. In front of the band, a dance floor had been cleared, but so far no one was brave enough to put it to use.

Perhaps later, she would offer a demonstration. She briefly wondered if Loki would want to show them how they danced in Asgard.

The hum of the crowd suddenly grew animated behind her. Turning, she saw Thor towering over a small crowd of mortals, engaging them in casual conversations as he moved around the crowd in his armor. Many younger children flocked around him as if he were the sun itself, and they his little planets.

Lorelei moved against the flow, taking up a station near one of the large buildings. She didn't have anything against Thor, but she needed some more time to think and compose herself before confronting him.

Still, she found her gaze occasionally wandering back to the prince of Asgard, to his glamorous appearance, his glittering armor, but most of all, to the Norn Stone hanging around his throat like a beacon.

 

**~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~**

 

"Captain Rogers! Man of Iron! There you are."

Steve and Tony startled at the sudden booming voice of their teammate. JARVIS had been trying to teach Thor to control the volume of his voice, but so far there had been no success.

"It's good to see you, Thor," Steve said, nodding his head in greeting. "Where's your brother?"

"He is wandering around."

Memories of their first encounter with Loki came flooding back. Steve struggled to find some sort of answer, and Tony just glanced around and took in his surroundings. Eventually, Steve found something to change the subject.

"Hey! Isn't that a coffee from Starbucks?" he asked. "That's completely unrelated to Loki's evil tendencies when we first met him."

Tony whirled in his direction, his metal eyes flashing, but Thor just smiled. "It is," he said. "When I came here, this was one of the mortal drinks I really enjoyed. The Black Widow showed me this establishment."

"Loki's wandering around?" Tony demanded suddenly. "You aren't watching him?"

Thor's expression lightened to something very near to nostalgia. "He has changed, Man of Iron, I assure you. I'm starting to get my brother back, and more, thanks to you." He looked at them with his eyes shining like the invisible stars in the sky. "Thank you for making him an Avenger. I know my brother rarely shows gratitude, but...it means a lot to him."

Steve thought back to when they'd made Loki an Avenger months ago. The incident that lead to his acceptance was a very strange one indeed: he'd turned on Doom during one of their battles as soon as one of the Doombots struck Thor.

"It's nothing, Thor, really," Steve said, diplomatically.

Tony looked like he was going to make a comment, but Steve's foot managed to knock him in the shin—it didn't hurt him, but it caught his attention.

"He's finally coming out of his shell," Thor said wistfully. "Becoming the hero I always knew he was deep down. Little things like this party, or the friendships he's made in S.H.I.E.L.D. and with the rest of the team—they're all bringing back the Loki I grew up with, the Loki I fell in love with, the Loki I knew..." He stepped back then, and smiled down at them. His teeth gleamed bright enough to be their own little sun. "I think I shall seek him out. We shall meet up with you all before the Ball is to be dropped."

Steve nodded and bid the god of thunder farewell, and watched him as he vanished into the crowd of humans.

 

**~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~**

 

They managed to stumble into a vacant alley, far out of sight of any of the reporters who generally eat stuff like this up—two hot young men, members of the same team, sneaking into a dark alley to make out.

Although the place is bustling with life, the air is crisp and cool. Clint had been hoping for warmer weather.

"He's not really so terrible," he said. "Loki, I mean."

"He really isn't. You should see him in the lab. He's like a kid in a candy shop," said Bruce. He leaned against the wall of the alley. Clint just noticed he was wearing the clothes they'd picked out recently. "Though he likes to pretend we're beneath him, he really enjoys learning about human stuff."

"Maybe we should take him to a candy shop." Clint smirked mischievously. "You remember what happened when Tony bought everyone Christmas chocolate."

Bruce shivered, and it wasn't from the cold. "Don't remind me. I thought JARVIS would never stop complaining about it." He glanced up at Clint. "Thanks, by the way. For giving Loki a chance."

"Well...it wasn't what I expected." He looked over his shoulder at the forming crowd. "We should probably get out there."

Bruce nodded, but when he moved to step around out of the alley, Clint's hand stopped him. He turned, and their mouths met.

"I'm sorry...that I've been," Clint said, between quick kisses, "cruel...to him. I never...thought of it like...that. Is it killing...the mood...that I'm talking...?"

Bruce murmured something he hoped sounded like agreement as Clint's fingers dug into his hips, forcing him up so they could crush their bodies closer together, hidden in the shadows of the thin alley.

 

**~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~**

 

Tony wandered around the crowd with a dazed smile on his face. There was only an hour left of 2012, and he had managed to get himself plastered. He had never been more thankful for the helmet covering his face, though he wished JARVIS would stop nagging him for a few minutes and let him enjoy his buzz.

Faces melded and appeared before his eyes, but none of them were the one he sought. Even in his suit of armor, he felt the craving for the blond man from the past like a wound.

His search didn't take long. He found Steve deep in conversation with one of the S.H.I.E.L.D. girls assigned by Nick Fury to watch for any signs of danger.

Grinning, Tony ignored JARVIS's warning and staggered over to his captain.

"Hey, Rogers," he slurred, winding his arms around Steve's neck from behind. "Fancy meetin' you here."

"Tony!" Steve whirled with a surprised look on his face. Tony wished he would take his mask off and show him his face, though he had to admit there was something sexy about Steve in his red, white, and blue uniform. "What are you—are you drunk!?"

"Only buzzed, darlin'," he hummed.

Steve narrowed his eyes, and Tony purred. It was worth it to make Steve angry. Being from the past, Steve was always a gentleman, and Tony liked that about him. But something all he wanted was for Steve to lose control and be possessive, to remind Tony that he belonged to him and no other. And nothing made Steve more furious than Tony getting himself wasted when they were in public, and more importantly _in uniform_.

"Tony—," Steve started.

"Nope," Tony said, leaning back. "You aren't allowed to kiss me until the Ball drops." He laughed at the enraged look on Steve's face. "That's the rule, Rogers."

To his surprise, Steve grinned. It wasn't polite or gentle. It was a smirk. _A Loki smirk_. "Fine," he said, and his voice was like velvet. "That's the rule. You just wait." He bent down and pressed his lips to Tony's armored cheek, seductively, tauntingly—and then he dashed off with a loud laugh.

Tony gawked. His boyfriend had been taking advice on seduction from Loki, the fucking god of mischief.

Despite that, he shivered with anticipation. The tension in Steve's body, the seductive way he'd spoken to him...he would wait, as tradition dictated, but that didn't mean he had to be happy about it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _To Be Continued..._

**Author's Note:**

> _To Be Continued..._


End file.
